How about a really fast and really simple planning tool?

This is of course partly because our solution so far lacks a planning tool since we've always been focusing on Project execution. Our users often use some "external" tool, export the plan a MS Project XML and the import it into our system. Other users are fine with using Excel for scheduling. When we ask them why they often say it's because it's a quick way to do it .

You just think twice before competing with something like MS Project, right? We have decided not to do that. And of course Projectplace wouldn't be wise to try to bring an Excel killer to the market either. We're not. Yet our design motto for Yap is:

Faster than Excel. Easier than Microsoft Project.

It's to give people a good alternative to using Excel for project planning. Because our tool is targeted at planning we should be able to make it faster than Excel for that particular task. Similarly we recognize that not all project plans call for the bells and whistles of Microsoft Project. Keeping in mind that we want to make our tool easier helps us focus on only the core needs for lining out simple plans.

So, why am I telling you people about this? Because Yap is in really early development and we'd like as much input as possible from professional project managers to help us make the tool truly worthy of its existence. Currently we have a short trailer to show at Projectplace Labs. We have also opened up a Yap section at Projectplace Ideas where we will be all ears to suggestions and ideas of where to bring this planning tool.

A first pre-alpha test drive is planned for the beginning of April. I sincerely hope you'll tune in right now and try to influence that test drive.